High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and possibly Treason

Just reading the new 'The Gertz File' from Bill Gertz and nearly gagged upon reading the following which I assess to be indicative of a high crime, misdemeanor, malfeasance or just plain treason. Emphasis and notes added.

The CIA and Department of Homeland Security abruptly canceled a conference in August on homegrown U.S. radical [Islamic] extremism in what officials close to the issue say was an effort to block two conservative anti-terrorism experts from presenting their views.

The conference was slated for Aug. 10 through 12 at agency headquarters in McLean and was to have been hosted by the CIA Threat Management Unit. It was organized by the intelligence subcommittee of the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments.

“The conference topic is a critical one for domestic law enforcement, and the sponsors — in partnership with the Department of Homeland Security — have decided to delay the conference so it can include insights from among other sources, the new National Strategy for Counterterrorism in an updated agenda,” wrote CIA police officer Lt. Joshua Fielder in an email announcing the postponement in early August.

According to people close to the conference, the event was ordered “postponed” after Muslim advocacy groups contacted the Department of Homeland Security and the White House about the scheduled speakers, who included Stephen Caughlin (note: Caughlin is a misspelling. The correct name and his title are Stephen Collins Coughlin, Major, US Army, Reserves) and Steve Emerson, both specialists on the Islamist terror threat.

Mr. Caughlin [Coughlin], a former Pentagon Joint Staff analyst, is one of the most knowledgeable counterterrorism experts specializing in the relationship between Islamic law and terrorism.

Mr. Emerson, head of the Investigative Project on Terrorism, is a leading expert on Islamic violent extremism, financing and operations.

The Department of Homeland Security did not return a call seeking comment.

CIA spokeswoman Marie Harf said she did not know if Mr. Caughlin or Mr. Emerson will be speakers when the conference is rescheduled at some future date.

“The goal is clear and important — to ensure that conference participants receive material that is as current and comprehensive as possible to support the essential mission of safeguarding Americans here at home,” she said in a statement nearly identical to language used in Lt. Fielder’s email.

One intelligence official said the conference was stopped after the White House learned that Mr. Caughlin and Mr. Emerson were speaking.

This official said that to prevent the two experts from taking part in future conferences, the administration is drafting new guidelines designed to prohibit all U.S. government personnel from teaching classes on Islamic history or doctrine.

The new rules also will seek to prohibit the use of federal funds to pay contractors for such training.

Another official familiar with the conference denied that the postponement was abrupt or in reaction to specific speakers.

“The goal — an entirely appropriate one — is to ensure that an important issue is addressed in the most informative and accurate way possible,” this official said.

“This is a big deal,” former FBI counterintelligence agent David Major said of the postponement.

If new guidelines are used to block experts like Mr. Caughlin and Mr. Emerson, “we will be in ‘1984’ with ‘Newspeak’ on our society in total violation of the First Amendment,” Mr. Major said, referring to George Orwell’s classic novel, in which simplified language is used as a tool to support totalitarian rule.

Matthew Chandler, a DHS spokesman, said the conference will be rescheduled.

“The conference topic is a critical one for domestic law enforcement, and the sponsors decided to delay the conference so it can include insights from, among other sources, the new national strategy for countering violent extremism,” Mr. Chandler told Inside the Ring.

Mr. Chandler said the department along with the National Counterterrorism Center, Justice Department and FBI are developing training programs “focused primarily on better preparing front line law enforcement personnel to identify those behaviors and indicators associated with terrorism-related criminal activity.”

“Equally important is ensuring that the input state and local law enforcement is received so that conference participants receive material that is as current and comprehensive as possible to support the essential mission of safeguarding Americans here at home,” he said.

Wow, this is a frightening post. It really punches you in the gut and lets you know exactly who is in charge. I watched a video recently that said that homeland security is more worried about profiling American citizen trends, such as those that vote republican, or own fire arms, than doing the job they are supposed to be doing.

In related news, the government has just announced a new optional surgical procedure available for free (i.e. funded by taxpayer money) for all government officials. This new procedure surgically implants a glass pane, or window, into the abdomen. Government sources claim that this should significantly improve visibility for officials walking around with their head up their butt.

Seriously? “The goal — an entirely appropriate one — is to ensure that an important issue is addressed in the most informative and accurate way possible,” this official said. And they're going to accomplish this by silencing experts on the subject. How can this 'official' say this with a straight face?

No, the "US Government" you were referring to are actually the elected and unelected (appointed) leadership. They are the decision makers and the executors of government policy.

The average moms and dads in direct government or contractor employment are the office worker bees paying a mortgage and raising their kids in suburbia. They neither make nor execute any decisions.

Your broad generalization smeared a lot of good Americans unnecessarily.

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Sorry to burst your buble what what Obama does has a direct impact upon Israel and to claim that he is as this point in time the US Government and the man most DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE for US Government policies and decisions. Last time I checked Congress and the Judicial branch did not make forgien policy nor do they run the State Department...

untill he is either re-elected for a 2nd term or someone else takes his place, Obama is for all practical purposes the US goverment when it comes to forgien policy and US domestic policy (expecially when he had control of the Senate and the House) He is still negating everything positive that previous administrations put in place (having the dept of justice not defend the defence of marriage act for example)

John 3:16, read it and understand it for time is growing shorter by the second.
Lord, I have never been worthy but I faith in the fact that You have redeemed me...

Number 2, I agreed with you regarding who the "US Government" decision and policy makers are, ("the "US Government" you were referring to are actually the elected and unelected (appointed) leadership. They are the decision makers and the executors of government policy.") and disagreed with you on who they are not (working parents, with a mortgage and children).

Indisputable facts are not arguable. To do so is a futile endeavor not unlike this silly little exercise

Just reading the new 'The Gertz File' from Bill Gertz and nearly gagged upon reading the following which I assess to be indicative of a high crime, misdemeanor, malfeasance or just plain treason. Emphasis and notes added.

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This is an absolute outrage!! This is the end product when government gets too big, out of control and "too big for it's britches"...it starts to believe it is the ends to a means and the center of priority. It represents and serves itself, not the people.

Wow, this is a frightening post. It really punches you in the gut and lets you know exactly who is in charge. I watched a video recently that said that homeland security is more worried about profiling American citizen trends, such as those that vote republican, or own fire arms, than doing the job they are supposed to be doing.

Click to expand...

Apparently that is THE JOB they're supposed to be doing. We're the terrorist--not those Muslims running around whacking off heads and blowing themselves up on behalf of some moon god. This is why you'll be fondled for trying to get on an airplane while your borders are wide opened. If you have read the Constitution, you must be an 'enemy of the state'. We can't have people going around demanding accountability from their government--that wouldn't be 'transparent' and that's unpatriotic--per THEIR definition.